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Cell-based pandemic vaccine successful in human trial

Baxter International says that a human trial of its Celvapan bird flu vaccine demonstrated that it spurred an immune response against three strains of the lethal virus. This is the first time that researchers have developed a flu vaccine using a virus grown in cell cultures rather than eggs. The new procedure is expected to be significantly faster and more efficient than the traditional manufacturing method. And that would be particularly important in the event a manufacturer was racing to produce large quantities of a vaccine to prevent a pandemic.

"It's not the complete answer to a possible pandemic, but it's one of many vaccines that look like they may be able to fight off a bird flu pandemic," said John Trenoar of the University of Rochester.